Wonderland
by SophieMBirch
Summary: Rachel Copper accidently finds herself on an adventure with the Doctor, Vastra, Jenny and Strax by traveling to a planet in order to save Clara from the childish king of "Wonderland".
1. When Will My Life Begin?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. I don't own the characters, theme tune, TARDIS etc.**

**This sort of takes place after The Name of the Doctor and might take place before the 50th special so we have Clara, Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax with the Eleventh Doctor with an appearance from River. We also meet a couple of OCs known as Rachel Copper and boyfriend James Hewitt. The former is more significant than the latter but I will explain their characters in the story. **

**Let's get going then.**

"_And now for the news at seven-thirty, here is Dan Smith." _The radio blared from the bedside table. A hand reaches over to try to turn the disturbing noise off in a bid not to get out of bed. Especially today of all days. The day was the 23rd November 2013, the day Rachel Copper was to turn twenty-one.

A student of English Literature at University of London, Rachel never really cared much for birthdays and holidays because she had never had anyone to celebrate with until she met her live-in boyfriend James Hewitt, a fellow student of History.

"Come on Rach, you cannot lie in bed all day. We have to go to uni at some point today. Well, I have to get to a lecture in an hour." said James placing a cup of tea on the bedside table.

Rachel sat up and grabbed the mug from the side, "I could just pull a sicky."

"Is it really worth skipping lectures to avoid people saying happy birthday?"

"I do this every year. It's better than people looking at me in pity."

"You think the offices would have noticed by now that you are absent on the 23rd November every year."

"Something always happens on that day to distract them. It's funny because something weird always happens on my birthday at a specific time and it has only been happening since 1992." explained Rachel in her attempt to make herself sound clever. It wasn't really needed because her intellect was rarely questioned. Not by James, not by her lecturers or anyone for that matter.

"So the whole world revolves around you?" asked James.

"It could do. It could be a message to me saying that I could be the most important woman in the world and I need to take some notice." Rachel joked.

"So, Rachel the most important woman in the world, are you getting up today?"

"In a minute. I suppose the world will not shift if I go to the place I am required to be on my birthday for once."

"Well, tonight I am going to surprise you."

"You don't have to."

"It isn't every day that you turn twenty-one."

-x-

An hour later, Rachel was clean, dressed, her blonde hair tied back, fed and walking down a street with a cup of coffee from the local coffee shop. She had decided to go to university as there was an important guest speaking in a lecture. She wasn't bothered by her birthday as much as she had James with her and he would always try and make it special.

"Excuse me ma'am." said a girl standing directly in front of her, almost in order to prevent Rachel from passing. The girl looked around the same age as Rachel, had dark hair that was tied in a bun, and a mole on the right side on her face between her nose and lips. The most distinctive features about this girl were the cockney accent and the Victorian dress.

"Sorry, did I bump into you?" asked Rachel looking bemused by the outfit the girl was wearing.

"Listen to me, you cannot go into university today."

"Why?" asked Rachel.

"You just can't okay ma'am?"

"Why are you calling me ma'am? And why are you dressed like a Victorian ma'am?"

"Just don't go ma'am. Promise you will not go to university please." The girl further insisted.

"I promise okay?"

She then ran away leaving a stunned Rachel. This was the last thing she expected. Seems like the world would collapse if she did go to university, or at least that is the implication the cockney girl was saying.

Never one to mess with fate, Rachel started walking in the opposite direction. Having her laptop with her, she could at least get some work done on her dissertation in the coffee shop.

Once Rachel had settled into her work and drank about two cups of coffee, she decided to call James so he wouldn't panic about where she was.

"Hey, you will not guess what happened to me this morning." said Rachel. "Some girl came up to me this morning and told me not to go to uni."

"_Let me guess, you listened to her didn't you?"_

"I don't know why but I felt as though something would go wrong if I did go. Almost as if reality would collapse in on itself. You hear about this sort of stuff. One decision by one-person could change the future, and that decision is usually a bloody big one."

"_Rach you cannot run away when someone tells you not to go somewhere you need to go."_

"Well, she looked sincere enough. She was a bit odd though. She looked as though she had just stepped out of either a Dickensian novel or something from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Also, I don't think I have ever heard such a strong cockney accent, even in the East end." Rachel turned her head towards the window for a second spotting a man in a squirrel costume running away from something, then something that looked like a baked potato running after it with a gun. Following was someone wearing what looked to be a funeral dress with a black veil. Finally, there was a girl in a long-sleeved shirt, trousers and a waistcoat. Just by chance, Rachel recognised the mole on the girl's face and so grabbed her laptop and ran out of the coffee shop.

"James I am going to have to call you back." said Rachel hanging up the phone. It wasn't hard to spot the four people running due to the unusual attire, so Rachel ran after them into an ally way.

"_I'm sure that girl wasn't wearing that when I ran into her earlier. She might have changed but it's only been an hour."_ thought Rachel as she attempted to find the four people. _"Why would they be chasing a person in a costume anyway?"_

"Hold it there boy." said someone behind her. Rachel felt something warm on the back of her neck and slowly she turned her head ninety degrees clockwise and saw the baked potato person pointing a gun at her head.

"_Crap."_

**There is more to come but this is mainly to establish the story. The Doctor comes soon as well as Clara. **


	2. One Jump Ahead

_"__Crap what am I going to do?" _thought Rachel. The baked potato had his gun ready to fire when a deep female voice rang through the ally.

"Strax, put the gun down."

"This boy was following us, she could be a spy." answered Strax still keeping the gun pointed to the back of Rachel's head.

"A spy for what?" asked Rachel. "I'm just a student."

The woman approached the two and pulled her veil from her face, revealing a green, scaled face.

"Oh god, I'm going to be killed by a potato in a space suit and a lizard." said Rachel. The lizard woman looked into Rachel's eyes, she noticed a familiarity in the green eyes of the young woman in front of her.

"Strax lower the gun. I think she is more a friend than foe." said the lizard. Strax lowered the gun and Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm Madam Vastra." Madam Vastra held her hand out to shake Rachel's hand.

"Rachel Copper. Is this a costume?"

"No. Once I have found my wife I shall explain."

"I'm sorry ma'am." said the young cockney girl running towards them. "I had to apologise to the squirrel man though I think Strax should have done it. Who is this?"

"You know who I am. You told me not to go to university about an hour and a half ago." answered Rachel looking confused.

"I'm sorry but I don't know what you are talking about ma'am. I was with ma'am and Strax an hour ago."

"You can't have been. Unless you have a twin or a clone, you were there on Oxford Street telling me that I couldn't go to university today."

"Are you sure it wasn't someone else?" asked Madam Vastra.

"I'm sure. It's the mole on her face that I remember. Also, you have a very distinctive cockney accent that stuck in my head." explained Rachel. "Perhaps we can discuss it over a cup of tea?"

-x-

"So you are aliens and Jenny is from the nineteenth century?" asked Rachel when she placed a tray of mugs on the coffee table.

"I wouldn't call myself an alien as my people are of Earth origin and like humans we have vast differentiation between breeds. My breed is more humanoid than other breeds of my species." explained Madam Vastra.

"What about Strax? Do all your species look like you?" asked Rachel sitting down in the chair nearest to the window.

"The Sontarans are a clone race. They look the same and they all have the same thoughts: war and victory." explained Jenny.

"I can speak for myself boy." said Strax.

"So how did you end up in London 2013?" asked Rachel.

"Well, to cut a long story short, our ride home decided to pull us to this exact date." answered Vastra.

"Did it run out of petrol or something?" asked Rachel. The three other people looked at her in confusion so she sat in silence waiting for them to ask her a question.

"Well, once we stopped, we went outside for some air, then Strax spotted the man in the squirrel costume and started chasing after it, so Jenny and I tried to catch him. What I would like to know is how you managed to see us." said Vastra.

"How could I not." Rachel responded. "You lot need to be more subtle considering what you look like and what you are wearing."

"We have these things around our necks that have a filter that doesn't make us invisible just not noticeable." explained Jenny holding up a key from around her neck.

"Right. That makes sense, sort of." said Rachel. "Do you need me to call anyone? There must be someone looking for you."

"He'll find us soon enough." said Vastra. "He always does."

"Then we can go home?" asked Jenny.

"Yes we can."

"Good, this era of Earth doesn't have much warfare going on for my taste." said Strax standing up. "Where is the Doctor anyway?"

"Who is the Doctor?" asked Rachel.

"The less you know the better." said Jenny.

"Is he dangerous?"

"The less you know the better." said Vastra.

"Okay. I won't ask questions." said Rachel. The door knocked and Rachel went to look through the peephole.

"I'm sorry but is there anybody home. Only I have to get some friends back home before the perception filter runs dry and someone notices a giant talking lizard in the street." said a voice through the door.

"Does this Doctor wear a bow tie by any chance?" asked Rachel. The others nodded and Rachel opened the door.

"Oh hello." said the Doctor.

"You're looking for a lizard, Sontaran and a nineteenth century cockney maid." said Rachel in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yes. How did you know?" asked the Doctor turning his face in confusion, almost studying the young woman in front of him.

"They're in my living room."

"Oh."

"Do you want to come in?" asked Rachel.

"Well, I was thinking about getting them three home but seeing as they have most likely settled to have a cup a tea, I may as well come into this home of yours." answered the Doctor walking past Rachel.

"You could have just said yes thank you." murmured Rachel closing the door.


	3. Why Should I Worry?

"I told you to wait outside for three minutes and in the meantime you run away in broad daylight looking like that. You are aware there is a population of eight million in that city?" asked the Doctor towards the three occupants on the sofa with his hands in his pockets pacing up and down the living room.

"Well, it goes like this." Jenny began, "Mahm, Strax and I went outside for some air while you fixed the TARDIS. Then some man in a squirrel costume walked past and Strax decided that he was an enemy of the Sontarans. We then spent a while chasing him through London."

"Which is where we met Miss Copper." said Vastra as Rachel handed a cup of tea to the Doctor. The Doctor wasn't paying much attention to his friends but he was somewhat fascinated with the blonde – not out of attraction, more frustration because he couldn't figure out if he had met this girl before.

There was an air of familiarity about this woman, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It was actually annoying him.

"Thank you." said the Doctor sipping the tea.

"No problem." said Rachel.

"Can I ask you a question?" asked the Doctor.

"Sure."

"You run into two aliens and you are not the least bit fazed?"

"There's been a bunch of alien incidents in the last eight years. Seeing a pair of aliens seems small in comparison." explained Rachel shrugging her shoulders. "They seem harmless enough aside from Strax shoving a gun into the back of my neck."

"You make it sound like an everyday occurrence." said Jenny.

"There is always something weird in this world going on. Nothing fazes me in the slightest. Anyway, what are you going to do once you get back to where ever you guy came from … or whenever?"

"Back to the usual. These three will solve crimes and I will keep running." answered the Doctor.

"Running from what? The law?"

"Just running. I make a life out of it, basically running."

"Fair enough. I enjoy running as well. A little too much actually." said Rachel glancing at the picture behind the Doctor's head. The photo of her and James. He was right when he said that she couldn't keep running away when someone tells her to, usually the someone being inside her head. "It's easier to run sometimes."

"It's easier to run all the time." said the Doctor. "What was your name again."

"Rachel Copper."

"Well, it was nice meeting you Rachel Copper, however we need to leave. Much to do and see." said the Doctor handing the mug back to Rachel.

"Thanks for the tea ma'am." said Jenny.

"It was quite pleasant." said Vastra.

"It's not a problem." said Rachel. "It was nice to meet you Doctor."

"Oh just before I leave. I seem to have found something in your draws." said the Doctor throwing a velvet box at Rachel. All four people left the flat and Rachel slowly opened the box.

_"Holy –" _She thought once she saw the diamond ring. _"This is the surprise that James was planning? I can't; I'm too young. Oh God … What do I do? Gently say no and break his heart? No, I can't do that I love him. Maybe I just need time to consider the whole thing before I can answer."_

That was when Rachel decided to do what she did best: run.

-x-

"So, let's get back to 1893 shall we?" said the Doctor half-running, half-skipping up to the TARDIS console.

"Why did it pull us to this exact date though?" asked Vastra.

"She might have just wanted to drop Clara home first. I suppose jumping into my time stream takes a lot out of humans."

"Doctor, Miss Copper said that she saw Jenny about an hour before we met her."

"She said that I told her not to go to university." Jenny continued.

"It doesn't mean much. It could be a coincidence." said Strax.

"Nothing is a mere coincidence. Not anymore." said the Doctor. "Still, back home we go." The phone on the TARDIS console began to ring and the Doctor picked up the receiver.

_"Doctor something has happened to Clara." _said Angie down the other end.

"What do you mean something has happened to Clara? Is she sick? Is she hurt? Is she dead?" asked the Doctor quickly, not pausing long enough to take a breath between each question. "Angie answer me."

_"Someone took her." _


	4. Friends on the Other Side

Running into the Maitland household, the Doctor nearly tripped over his own feet in a panic as he ran into the kitchen where there was a shiny, glass-like globe about the size of a plum floating in the middle of the kitchen.

"What happened?" asked the Doctor using the sonic screwdriver to get the information from the globe.

"Artie found that thing floating in the middle of the living room, he followed it into the kitchen, a hand came out of that thing, tried to grab Artie but Clara knocked him out the way and they took her instead." explained Angie.

"When was this?"

"Just before I called you. What is it? Is Clara going to be okay?"

"I think I have got the origin of the floaty ball thing. It seems to be some kind of two way portal."

"To another planet?"

"Yep. Don't worry Angie, I will get Clara back safe and sound. It's the least I can do." said the Doctor. "You might have to give me a few hours. Um … go to your friend's house or something or find the longest film you can at the cinema."

"What should we tell Dad if he asks?"

"You're smart enough to come up with some clever lie. Just don't say Artie was nearly kidnapped."

-x-

"_Wait, how do they all fit into that tiny box?" _Rachel thought as she saw the blue box standing outside a house. Having followed the group – mainly to distract herself from the upcoming proposal – she had spent a while waiting for the box to float away and a giant black hole to appear.

Slowly she approached the box, attempting to open the doors. After shaking the door a couple of times, she walked around the box trying to assess the dimensions on the box and whether it was capable of fitting two humans, a Sontaran and a human lizard inside.

"_That isn't possible. They would be climbing all over each other."_ She thought shaking the door again.

"Out the way I need to get in." said the Doctor part running and part galloping to the door, opening it. Rachel held the door open just peering into the interior before looking at the side of the exterior.

Slowly she entered the box closing the door behind her. The room looked rather dark with the light coming from the centre and, quite frankly, impossibly large considering the exterior.

"I managed to get the origin of the portal. I can lock the co-ordinates and we should have Clara back within the hour. Then I can get all four of you home." said the Doctor pressing a few buttons on the console, starting the TARDIS.

"Doctor there is only three of us." said Jenny.

"Actually, there is four." said Rachel finally speaking. The other four travellers looked straight at Rachel before she waved nervously. "Hello again."

"How did you get in here?" asked Strax.

"I might have followed you guys to here. Also the Doctor let me in." explained Rachel. "Well, he opened the door and I followed him in."

"Well, I haven't got time to go back so you are going to just have to stay." said the Doctor continuing with his activities.

"I think you might have an issue with the dimensions of your ship." said Rachel. "How do you compress the interior to the size of the exterior?"

"Is that just your way of saying it is bigger on the inside than the outside?" asked the Doctor.

"Basically yes."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. You'll forget soon."

"What if I don't want to forget?" asked Rachel folding her arms.

"You'll be stupid not to forget." said the Doctor.

"You'd be stupid to forget. What exactly is this thing anyway?"

"It's called the TARDIS." said Jenny.

"It travels through space and time but it usually lands where trouble is." explained Vastra.

"_Cannot say I am surprised. You four look as though you enjoy looking for trouble." _Rachel thought walking up to the console. "So where are you headed? It looked urgent."

"No time to explain." said the Doctor.

"Oh that's helpful."

"I have no time to explain. Do I need to repeat it again?"

"No you don't."

"Okay, now we have cleared that up, keep quiet because I don't need a tag along asking me a bunch of annoying questions."

"Okay. I'll just sit and keep quiet then." said Rachel perching herself by the railings. "Just one question though. Doctor, are you an alien?"

"Again annoying questions."

"I suppose that is a yes then." She murmured. She stood in silence while watching the Doctor piloting the just taking in this new environment and experience.


	5. The Second Star to the Right

"I thought you said that this was going to be quick." said Rachel leaning against the railings.

"It's only been a minute." said the Doctor. "This machine is supposed to be piloted by twelve people, I'm doing this by myself here."

"Where are the other eleven then?"

"They're out."

Rachel sighed and moved over to the console and asked, "What buttons do you want me to press and which levers do you want me to pull?"

"Why?"

"You look as though you need help."

"I'll have you know that I have been doing this for years on my own and no one has complained." Rachel folded her arms and raised her eyebrow. "Okay a couple of people have complained but I know what I am doing."

"So what does the blue button do?"

"They are the stabilisers."

"Then why haven't you pressed it?"

"Because it's boring. I'll also have you know I do not appreciate backstreet driving."

"I'm not backstreet driving, I am trying to help you. I am that kind of a person."

"I don't need help. I need –"

The whole room shook violently sending the occupants flying to the floor.

"What was that?" asked Vastra.

"I think we crashed into something." said Jenny.

"Crashed into what?" asked Strax. The Doctor got up off the floor and went to the screen.

"We've been thrown off course." He exclaimed.

"By what?" asked Rachel getting up.

"I don't know. Some big shield thingy. We're going to have to land a lot further away from the target than I planned."

"Do you need me to press the blue button?" asked Rachel.

-x-

"_Okay, where am I?" _thought Clara when she opened her eyes slowly. The room she was in looked like a child's playroom. The toys, however, did not look as though they were of Earth origin so that gave Clara the first clue about where she was.

"Hello?" She called. She managed to get to her feet and called again, "Hello?"

No one responded so Clara went to the shelf and looked at the contents: hard books, soft toys, plastic toy etcetera. Slowly the door opened to reveal a stocky woman of a small stature.

"Excuse me, where am I?" asked Clara.

"You are in King Koro's palace. If you could follow me please madam." said the woman. Clara grabbed something from the shelf that she believed could be a useful weapon against whatever was waiting for her.

Following the woman, Clara took the chance to look through the halls for potential escape routes in case needed.

"Oh Doctor, where are you?" She whispered.

-x-

"Where are we Doctor?" asked Vastra.

"We're in the Xon system on an unnamed planet." explained the Doctor.

"How can a planet be unnamed?" asked Rachel.

"According to legend, the name of this planet was lost. No one remembers it." explained the Doctor.

"Is it safe to go out?" asked Jenny.

"It's a human colony. It's over 2000 years old but it is stagnant compared to Earth."

"What do you mean by stagnant?"

"Well, you humans were primarily an agricultural society. But then you lot decided factories are better for production than just digging. Next thing you know the world's largest cities have giant skyscrapers. This planet never industrialised. Well it did but in only certain areas."

"So we are on a nameless planet that is essentially Medieval?" asked Rachel.

"What have I said about stupid questions?"

"Don't talk at all?"

"Exactly. All you have done since you came onto this ship is asking questions."

"Why shouldn't I? It's an alien environment."

"You said none of this fazes you. The more questions you ask the more annoyed I am going to be." said the Doctor raising his voice

"Trust me, I am not that fazed. I'm just curious. You get that after having seen a spaceship fly into Big Ben, metal men roaming the streets while pepper pots are flying through the air and the human race becoming immortal. A space ship that is bigger on the inside is quite small in comparison." said Rachel, equally loud.

"The way you two are bickering, you may as well be father and daughter." said Jenny under her breath.

"Okay. Can we just make a deal that if you explain something whenever I look confused, I will not ask you anymore questions?" said Rachel sighing.

"If it means I get less of a headache then yes." said the Doctor calmly.


	6. A Whole New World

"You know when you said that this planet is rather medieval …" said the Doctor to Rachel looking around at the rather dry and sandy land.

"I'd go with Biblical." said Rachel. "It looks like there has been a drought."

I wouldn't call it a drought."

"Why?" asked Vastra.

"According to that map, there is river than runs through the forest. Also we seem to be in the village furthest from the river." explained the Doctor pointing to a large map. "We are here apparently." He commented pointing to the large arrow saying, 'You Are Here'.

"Kandake." said Jenny.

"On the outside of nowhere." said Rachel. "I don't like calling it nowhere. It needs a name."

"Why mess with tradition?" asked the Doctor.

"Not an official name, I just don't feel comfortable not knowing something important."

"Any reason why?"

"Just because." said Rachel shrugging her shoulders.

"What would you call it then?" asked Vastra.

"I'll think about it." said Rachel.

"How far away are we from where Clara is Doctor?" asked Jenny.

"Miles." answered the Doctor. "The technology would more likely come from the centre of the planet, Zion."

"How far is that?" asked Vastra.

"Four days from here."

"Might I suggest we strategise a plan of attack while refuelling." said Strax.

"Actually, I am quite hungry." said Jenny."

"Me too." said Rachel.

"How can you be hungry?" asked the Doctor looking confused.

"Well … We're human. We need to eat at regular intervals." answered Rachel. "I'm sure aliens need to eat as well."

"I suppose a few questions could be asked." murmured the Doctor walking towards a nearby tavern.

"What's a tavern doing in a Biblical setting?" asked Rachel.

"Jesus turned water into wine as the myth goes. Even the early humans appreciated the substance of alcohol." said Vastra.

"But taverns and ale houses are a little medieval. I don't see much mention of beer in the Bible." said Rachel. "I could do with a drink actually."

The group moved into the tavern where there were many men with beards sitting around tables and the bar.

"You'd think another planet would have more aliens. You know, people with long necks and speaking Klingon." said Rachel looking around. "How many aliens look like humans?"

"Plenty. Though you have to ask whether aliens look like humans or humans look like aliens." said Vastra.

"I suppose that is fair." said Rachel picking up a small piece of parchment that read menu in a strange writing. "There are a lot of vegetables on this menu."

"Only food source we have." said a man from the tables.

"You speak English?" asked Rachel looking a little confused.

"Long story." said Jenny.

"What do you expect us to speak? Mandarin?" Another man asked.

"People speak Mandarin on this planet?" asked Rachel even more confused.

"Are you stupid or been living under a rock?" asked a female.

"She's not from this planet. I just picked her up by accident and she'll be gone from my life and memory before you know it." said the Doctor walking up behind the other members of the group.

"She has a name, and she also has a foot that can make a large dent in your –"

"Anyway, I am looking for a friend. I believe she was taken to the capital but my ship hit something on the way in. Can anyone tell me why?" asked the Doctor.

"There is a giant shield around the Forrest of Jericho." said an old man walking up towards the Doctor. "Your friend was taken by King Koro."

"What for? They intended to take a child before Clara got in the way." said the Doctor.

"King Koro is what people would say a child trapped in a man's body." The old man continued to explain.

"Sounds familiar." murmured Vastra.

"Rather than helping the country, he would rather play with his jester."

"What's wrong with the jester?" asked Rachel.

"Well, he's a puppet that acts like a psychotic eight-year-old."

"A psychotic eight-year-old?" asked Rachel in disbelief. "I know some eight-year-olds are complete brats but psychotic? And he is also a puppet?"

"Seriously, where did you pick this kid up from?" asked the same women who asked whether Rachel was stupid.

"I don't know." answered the Doctor exasperated. "So what does this have to do with trying to kidnap a child?"

-x-

"Your majesty. May I introduce Miss Clara Oswald for your pleasure." said the woman.

"What do you mean by pleasure?" asked Clara looking at the woman and the young man on the throne suspiciously.

"You are to entertain the King. This means playing with him."

"Again what do you mean by playing?"

"What sort of games do you enjoy?" asked King Koro.

"Depends of what type of game." answered Clara.

"Well, do you like dolls?"

"When I was a little girl but I am a grown woman. I mostly play video with the kids I look after."

"Neither the less, you shall play dolls."

"Okay … What the hell is going on here? Are you seriously telling me to play with dolls?"

"I am. So play, please."

-x-

"So this King Koro is basically Baron Bomburst from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." said Rachel.

"I have no idea what you are on about but if this Baron Bomburst is anything like King Koro then yes." answered the elderly man while he, the Doctor, Rachel and the Paternoster gang were sitting around a table.

"What about this puppet? Has he been influencing the King, or was the King like that in the first place?" asked Vastra.

"King Koro's first year as King was a pleasant time. The economy boomed and everybody was happy. Then the puppet came along and everything went downhill from there. The drought came and we cannot even use the space ships to travel to the river because the shield extends to the length of the river." explain the man.

"All your crops couldn't grow, so you couldn't sell them and people are starving." said the Doctor. "I thought this was going to be quick."

"You're not the only one mate." murmured Rachel.

"So what are we going to do Doctor?" asked Jenny.

"We're going to Zion. We're going to get rid of this psychotic eight-year-old puppet and we're going to rescue Clara."

"That's all well and good but how?" asked Rachel.

"Well, we can park the TARDIS outside the forest, the journey on foot should take about a day and a half."

"Great this is going to be fun." said Rachel sarcastically.

**This is pretty much exposition chapter. Honestly, it gets more interesting soon.**


	7. Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

"Isn't there a quicker way to travel, considering that we're in a rush?" asked Vastra.

"No transport can go through the forest upon pain of death." answered the bar man.

"That's a bit stupid." said Rachel.

"It's an old forest and no one wants it damaged. Surely you would feel the same about the forests on Earth."

"It's a bit too late for that." murmured Rachel. "So foot is the only option?"

"I have trainers in the TARDIS." said the Doctor. "So parking the TARDIS as close as we can to the forest should cut the travel time but I cannot afford to have breaks on the journey. If the stories about this psychotic eight-year-old are true, then I need to get Clara out quickly."

"This girl must mean a lot to you, Doctor." said the barman.

"She's save me over a million times during my life. I only just started to notice. The least I could do is repay the favour."

"The least you could do?"

"Yes, the least I could do."

"Well, the least we can do to help you is give you some rations for you all to eat." said the barman.

"You don't have much food. Why bother?" said Rachel.

"How long have you gone without food?" asked the Doctor.

"Three days. I thought I would try a hunger strike to prove a point to my foster mother."

"You humans have strange ways of trying to prove a point." said Vastra.

"It wasn't pleasant though. Surely there is food in the forest."

"You don't know what types though. Never eat something you don't know about. Like a wild mushroom." said the Doctor.

"I don't like mushrooms anyway. Okay. I'll try not to eat the wild food then."

"And no wandering off. I'm not losing something that I have no responsibility over."

"And I won't wander off."

"They always say that." He murmured. "Right. No more delaying. Let's go and get Clara."


End file.
